


Unforeseen Consequences

by Violet_Jayne



Category: Andi Mack (TV)
Genre: Buffy thinks its a bad idea, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Idiots in Love, M/M, Miscommunication, Mutual Pining, Post-Episode: s03e13 Mount Rushmore or Less, T. J. Kippen & Amber Are Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-20
Updated: 2019-07-26
Packaged: 2020-05-15 12:41:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 8,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19295962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Violet_Jayne/pseuds/Violet_Jayne
Summary: When TJ "accidentally" tells Kira that he's dating Cyrus, both boys get dragged into more drama than anticipated and they learn how to navigate middle school as members of the LGBT community.Cyrus has to deal with the unforeseen consequences of saying yes to a pretty boy.





	1. The Beginning

Cyrus was resting his head in his hands and frowning down at his lunch. It was a particularly gloomy Thursday lunchtime and he was in a sour mood because it seemed that TJ had actually chosen Kira over him by ditching him on costume day. Cyrus kept replaying the events over in his head, hoping to find something that he could apologise for. He half listened to the conversation Andi and Buffy were having about something particularly annoying that Jonah had done recently.

“And he didn’t even tell me the truth.” Andi sounded agitated. 

“Boys are gross,” Buffy said, taking a bite out of her sandwich. 

Cyrus was about to agree with her when he felt someone sit down beside him. He was fully prepared to yell at whoever it was because he really wasn’t in the mood for any preteen nonsense, but he was stunned into silence when he looked up to see TJ smiling at him. It had been a week since he had seen the boy up close so he took a few seconds to look at all of the details of TJ’s face that he had missed, like the beauty mark on his neck, the crease at the side of his mouth and the calming colour of his eyes. He was unsure how to feel about the sudden unannounced appearance of TJ at his lunch table but his thought process was stopped suddenly as TJ placed an arm around Cyrus’ shoulders. 

“Hi,” Cyrus gave him a shy smile, unsure of himself as he tried not to completely melt into TJ's touch.

“Hi,” TJ's smile widened. “Is this okay? The arm?”

“Sure,” Cyrus could feel Andi and Buffy looking at them. “I’m a bit confused, though.”

“Well, Kira’s kind of into me." TJ motioned with a tilt of his head a couple of tables over to where Kira was scowling at them, flanked by some of the boys who were on the basketball team with TJ. "She seemed incapable of taking a hint.”

“Wow, that’s like Amber level of evils,” Andi remarked, turning away from Kira's furious gaze.

“That doesn’t actually explain why you have your arm around me.” Cyrus pointed out, feeling his cheeks heat up a fraction.

“Right,” TJ hesitated, looking away with a shyness that almost surprised Cyrus. “I thought if she saw me in a relationship she would leave me alone. When she asked who I was seeing I kind of said you. It was an accident.”

“Wait, Kira thinks we’re… dating?” Cyrus was struggling to get his head around all of this.

“Yeah, I guess so. Is that bad?” TJ looked genuinely concerned as if he had done something terrible.

“I don’t think it’s healthy,” Buffy interjected with a frown. "And potentially problematic."

“No one asked you, Buffy.” TJ snapped, reminding Cyrus of the way he used to be, harsh and defensive. 

“I can help you,” Cyrus said, wanting to avoid a fight. “To convince her, I mean.”

“You will?” TJ asked, a bright smile lighting up his face and replacing the scowl that had formed when he had been talking to Buffy. 

“I’d do anything for you.” Cyrus momentarily panicked at how romantic the words seemed to his own ears. “What are friends for, right?” 

“Exactly,” TJ was beaming now. “I knew I could count on you, Cyrus.”

As suddenly he had appeared at Cyrus' side he was gone again, with a small kiss pressed to Cyrus’ cheek and a nod to the girls. 

“Wow.” Andi eventually said, slowly chewing her potato with a thoughtful expression. "That was... interesting."

Cyrus felt his face flush, thinking of the pressure of TJ’s face against his. “Did that really happen or was it in my imagination?”

“You may have a good imagination, but I don’t think even you could have come up with that.” Buffy still had the remnants of a scowl on her face, but it was quickly replaced by amused expression. "Looks like you've finally got a boyfriend."

Cyrus couldn't help but laugh.


	2. The Sister

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A wild Amber appears to give her brother's boyfriend a good talking to. Cyrus is clueless.

The unforeseen consequences of Cyrus’ agreement with TJ caught up with him 20 minutes later. There was nothing that the residents of Shadyside liked more than promptly spreading gossip throughout the area with the same speed as a deadly plague. The gossip of Cyrus and TJ being a couple, which was not at all true yet no one questioned it in the slightest, came back to Cyrus in the form of Amber violently slamming a locker in his face. Cyrus barely managed to avoid losing a finger to the aforementioned locker when a stern-faced Amber came into his line of sight. Both of these events caused Cyrus to let out alarmed yelps.

“You don’t even go here,” Cyrus complained as he grasped at his chest where his heart was beating harder than usual. “What do you want, Amber?”

“I heard you were dating my brother.” She said, raising her chin as if to intimidate him.

“What are you talking about?” How many people have been using him as a gay scapegoat to get out of dating girls?

“TJ, my brother, your boyfriend, I don’t really know what’s so hard to grasp about the situation.”

“TJ’s your what now?”

“My… brother?” Amber’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Did you really not know that? Haven’t you been to our house?”

“Incredibly briefly, but he didn’t want us to run into anyone.”

“Oh, that makes sense, our parents are a bit much.” She was leaning against the lockers, looking content to continue the conversation for longer than Cyrus would probably want to. “So it’s true?”

“That I’m dating TJ? Yeah, I guess.” Cyrus hoped he was acting casual and not at all suspicious and awkward, which knowing him was incredibly unlikely.

“Cool,” Amber replied, her expression unreadable. 

“You’re not confused about... anything?” Cyrus asked, alluding to the gayness of the whole situation.

“No,” Amber let out a small laugh. “It explains a lot.” 

The bell rang and the corridor began filling up with students on their way to classes. Amber turned as if she were going to leave the school, Cyrus swung his backpack onto his shoulders and hurried after her, wanting her to explain herself. He threaded his way through the flow of people headed in the opposite direction. 

“What do you mean?” Cyrus asked, catching up with her.

“He talks about you all the time, it’s kind of insufferable now I think about it.” Amber caught his eye, seeing the confusion on his face she stopped walking and placed a friendly hand on his arm. “Look, I don’t know how new all of this is, your relationship, but he really likes you. I didn’t think he was the type to come out in middle school but I was clearly wrong about that. You must mean a lot to him.”

“Wait, so you knew about… his sexuality?” Cyrus wasn’t sure about it himself and he was the one fake dating the guy.

“Yeah, there are some things that sisters just know.” Amber shrugged. “Don’t you have class?”

Cyrus’ eyes went wide and he let out yet another yelp and started power walking in the opposite direction, half shouting a “Bye Amber” over his shoulder.


	3. The Parents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The consequences have started to reveal themselves and Cyrus is faced with the reality of coming out to his parents.

Several hours later, Cyrus was at The Spoon with Andi and Buffy. He had discovered some of the complications of establishing a fake relationship and was becoming increasingly anxious about the situation. It might be more suitable to say he was having a full-on freak out.

“I didn’t think of the consequences.” Cyrus wined, slumped over in the booth.

The girls sat opposite, looking on with concern. 

After a pause, Andi remarked, “I don’t see what’s so bad about it, TJ seems like a better boyfriend than Jonah ever was.”

“Well,” Cyrus said, sitting upright. “For one thing, I have to lie to everyone around me.”

Buffy patted him on the arm, “But not to us, and you don’t talk to anyone else.” 

Just then, Amber appeared at their table with a basket of baby tators and two milkshakes for the girls. She set them down with a friendly smile directed towards Cyrus, he attempted a grin but it ended up morphing into a grimace. To distract from anything his face was doing, he ostentatiously leaned over and selected a baby tator to eat.

“What was that about?” Andi asked once Amber had retreated back behind the counter.

“She’s TJ’s sister.” Answered Cyrus. “She came up to me at the end of lunch asking about me and TJ. She was so nice and seemed really happy when I told her it was real.”

“That’s… complex,” Buffy said, squinting as she considered the matter. “At least we know she’s not homophobic.” 

“Speaking of,” Andi sat up straight as if to signal the importance of their impending conversation. “This whole situation means that you have to be out to basically everyone in our school. Are you doing okay with that?”

Cyrus gulped. He had known, deep down, that having a public relationship with another boy would mean this. But the way Andi had phrased it made it so much more real. He slumped down onto the table, groaning in response louder than was probably acceptable for a public setting. 

“Cyrus?” Buffy nudged him gently on his shoulder, concern clear in her voice. “You doing okay?”

“I have to tell my parents.” He replied, voice muffled by the way his face was pressed into the table. 

“Ah,” Andi said, the realisation of the situation dawning on her. 

It was not as if Cyrus had been avoiding coming out to all four of his parents. He knew there was no choice to just tell one of them. In Cyrus’ mind, he considered telling his parents about his sexuality as the last step in becoming his authentic self, especially as his mother would probably tell everyone in the town by noon the next day. It was just who she was. He did want to tell his parents at some point, he just found it embarrassing, irreversible, and thus terrifying. 

Cyrus knew his parents loved him, that wasn’t the problem. The problem was that they were the type of parents to throw him a coming out party, especially if his bar mitzvah was anything to go by. Cyrus found the whole notion of “coming out” ridiculous; people acted as if it was one event that would be over and done within a couple of minutes. In reality, he had to do it every time he met someone new, he had already done it three times to three different people in the last few months.

Cyrus, Andi and Buffy spent the rest of the afternoon and early evening hanging out in The Spoon before heading to Cyrus’ house. The girls had been trying to lighten the mood by joking about Amber and Cyrus’ blossoming friendship. This was actually only making him more anxious and bringing thoughts of TJ to the front of his mind as they approached the door to his house. The sun was going down and everything was enveloped in shades of blue.

Cyrus stopped walking too suddenly for Andi and Buffy to pick up on at first, walking ahead before turning back to see him bent over with his head between his knees, swaying on his feet and breathing heavily.

“Cyrus?” Buffy rushed to his side, Andi close behind her.

Cyrus sat down on the grass ungracefully, looking defeated.

“You’re going to be fine,” Andi said, kneeling down beside him.

“I know.” He let his friends haul him to his feet, though it took several minutes of convincing to actually get him into the house. Once he was inside he instinctively looked into the large mirror hanging in the corridor, there was a crease between his eyebrows and a piece of grass in his hair. 

Who would have known that having a boyfriend, even a fake one, would be so stressful? His parents were waiting for him at the dinner table, food laid out for him. They looked up at him when he entered with loving expressions. He felt his body tense up.

His mother stood, coming closer to embrace him. “Is something wrong, Love?”

Cyrus let her hug him before replying, “I’m okay.”

“Did you talk to TJ?” She asked.

Panic rushed into Cyrus’ mind. “What?”

“You guys were having that fight.” She was still holding onto his arms, her touch gentle as she looked into his eyes.

“Oh,” Cyrus had forgotten all about how jealous of Kira he had been, it seemed so silly now. “Yeah, I talked to him at lunch. TJ’s… great.” 

“I’m happy you two worked it out.” Cyrus’ step-father mused, taking a drink from his wineglass. “I’ve always liked that boy.”

Oh my God, Cyrus thought, willing the ground to swallow him up as he made his way to his seat. It was almost as if they knew already, or maybe they knew something else about him and TJ.

“He’s such a nice young man.” His mother agreed, sitting down opposite Cyrus.

Instead of engaging in conversation with them Cyrus decided to stuff his mouth with chicken, almost choking in the process, waiting for them to change the subject away from his fake boyfriend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise TJ will be in the next chapter, (it's already written!) and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :)


	4. The Boyfriend Experience

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lack of sleep, dancing, and interrupted moments. Alternatively; mornings are frustrating.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Cyrus dances to in this chapter is 'Still feel.' by Half Alive. Feel free to dance along. :)

Cyrus’ sleep had been frustratingly restless. The guilt over chickening out of a rather crucial conversation with his parents and the apprehension of the school day to come had made him toss and turn for most of the night. 

Cyrus’ remedy for the dark circles under his eyes was to vigorously rub his face with a damp washcloth, which merely made him damp and vaguely dazed, more uncomfortable than awake. He groaned as he made his way back into his bedroom, brushing his hair with reckless abandon. 

One of the things Cyrus had done while struggling to sleep had been to carefully choose his outfit for the day. He wanted to look nice, especially if people were going to be looking at him, which seemed more than likely. He had briefly considered the option of wearing a striped shirt with lots of colours on it that vaguely resembled a rainbow but had promptly dismissed that thought as “Overkill.” Instead, he chose a button up shirt with a pattern of tiny dinosaurs all over the blue fabric.

The music playing from the slightly tinny speakers of his phone calmed him slightly as he changed into his shirt and skinny jeans. While arranging his bed, a song came on to the playlist that reminded Cyrus of Andi and Buffy. A few weeks before, they had all danced along to the song at Andi’s house. Cyrus smiled instinctively as he remembered the way Buffy had laughed as he had uncoordinatedly shaken his hips and bobbed his head. 

It was one of those songs where you couldn’t help but move around to, and Cyrus started dancing almost immediately. Cyrus was passionately dancing around his room, mouthing the words to the song and rhythmically rolling his shoulders in a poor attempt at body rolls when he heard the door creaking open further. He stopped dancing and turned, expecting to see his mother.

“Wow, Underdog, you didn’t tell me you had moves like that.” TJ was leaning against the doorframe to Cyrus’ room with a grin on his face and his hands in his pockets.

Cyrus felt his face heat up, he hurried over to his phone to turn the music down. “What are you doing here?”

TJ stepped into the room, casually closing the door behind him. “Your mum let me in.”

“That doesn’t explain why you're here, though.” Said a flustered Cyrus who was hastily chucking laundry into the basket next to the desk from where it had been strewn around his room.

TJ placed a gentle hand on Cyrus’ arm, stilling him. “I wanted to apologise for dumping all this responsibility on you just because I couldn’t talk to Kira. I know you agreed to it and all, but I feel like I owe you. If I were older I would have offered to drive you to school. I thought walking with you might hold the same sentiment.”

Cyrus was momentarily wonderstruck by TJ’s kindness and the way he was smiling shyly, a way Cyrus had only really seen him do when the two of them were alone together. TJ was still touching Cyrus’ arm.

“I did text you,” TJ continued, motioning to the phone in Cyrus’ hand. “You were probably too busy dancing.” 

“Thanks for offering to walk with me. I’m sorry for being so weird, your sister taught me how to dance but I clearly didn’t retain very much of that lesson.”

“Amber taught you to dance?” TJ looked shocked but also amused, if the way the corners of his mouth lifted were any indication. 

“Yeah, I chose it as an elective instead of PE, what with my lack of athleticism and distaste for team sports. I ran into her at the studio and she helped me pass my class.”

“Well,” TJ said, holding back laughter, “I’m glad you two get along.”

“Speaking of Amber, she kind of cornered me yesterday.”

“Yeah?” TJ looked suddenly nervous, the smile fading off of his face. 

“She wanted to know if we were legit, so I said we were.” Cyrus bit his lip, hoping he had done the right thing.

“Oh,” TJ was unreadable.

“Yeah,” Cyrus continued. “She seemed cool with it, but was kind of surprised that you’d be public about a relationship with a guy while still in middle school.”

TJ clenched his jaw, looking like the bully he had seemed to Cyrus when he had first met him. “I don’t care what people think of me.”

Cyrus looked away, “I wanted to ask you something.” his nerves were making his heart thud alarmingly loud. “Do you-“

Cyrus' mother chose that moment to interrupted them, knocking on the closed door. The boys stepped away from each other as if they were about to be chastised for the lack of space between them. “You boys will be late if you don’t leave soon,” she called through the door. Cyrus’ bravery was fleeing from him at speed. 

The silence they were left in felt colossal.

“What were you going to ask me?” TJ asked. The soft expression was back on his face.

Cyrus felt his courage leave him, he didn’t have the heart to ask TJ anything personal this early in the morning, not if they were going to be interrupted. “It was nothing.”

TJ had moved towards him, he was closer than he had been before Cyrus’ mother had disrupted them. “You’d tell me if something was wrong?”

“Of course,” Cyrus said, sincerity in his voice even if he was not so sure of the answer himself. 

TJ smiled at him, biting his lip while maintaining eye contact with Cyrus for a charged moment. Cyrus felt drawn towards TJ by a large and unseen force. He inched closer. The atmosphere dissipated when Cyrus’ phone buzzed in his hand, causing him to break their eye contact. 

“We should go,” Cyrus suggested, after casting a quick glance at a new text from Andi. He saw how TJ had stepped back away from him, Cyrus considered if this had been some kind of rejection of his advances, not that he was trying to woo TJ or anything.

When they stepped out of the house and shut the front door any tension between them seemed to have disappeared. Cyrus’ mother had hugged both of them goodbye and handed them breakfast bars and apples even though TJ had insisted he had already eaten breakfast with his family. 

TJ was kneeling down in the driveway to put the apple into a side pocket on his backpack. 

"You’re getting the full boyfriend experience.” Cyrus joked, causing TJ to freeze in place.

“You told her?” TJ stood.

“Oh, no, that was just a joke.” Cyrus flinched. He hated how people always misunderstood what he tried to say.

“Right,” TJ started walking, which seemed to be some kind of patented Kippen strategy for avoiding a conversation. 

Cyrus raced to catch up with him. “Isn’t telling people the goal of a fake relationship, though?”

“I hadn’t really thought that far ahead.” TJ’s eyes were downcast. “But don’t you want to be real when you tell your family something like that?”

Cyrus didn’t want to think about that, guilt over the previous evening returned to him. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”

It was tenser than Cyrus would have liked as they made their way towards the school. It had been so easy to be with TJ, so natural, and he had ruined it with a dumb joke. Then, as they made their way towards the doors of the school TJ gently grabbed ahold of his arm. 

TJ pulled Cyrus towards him by his arm. “I’m sorry if I’m being dumb, or difficult.” 

“You’re not either of those things, TJ.” Cyrus hated the way the other boy would sometimes talk down about himself.

“I really don't like it when we fight, it feels so unnatural.” TJ was still holding onto Cyrus’ arm, his fingers around Cyrus’ forearm. 

“We weren’t really fighting, and we’re good now, right?” Cyrus smiled. TJ lowered his eyes, then raised them as he licked his lips. It felt like something was shifting. Cyrus moved his body closer to Tj. The hand on his arm slid down so their fingers were almost entwined. The space between them was shrinking and Cyrus could feel TJ’s breath on his face. Cyrus lifted his head as his eyes fluttered closed. Before their faces could meet they were interrupted by the doors to the school opening loudly. This time, instead of jumping away they both turned their heads to the door and TJ’s hand fell from Cyrus’.

“PDA, much?” Kira was standing in the doorway with a scowl on her face. She turned away and headed back into the school building. 

There was an awkward moment that dissolved as soon as the two boys looked at each other again and broke into smiles. “We should go to class,” TJ suggested, opening the door to the school and letting Cyrus pass through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TJ returned! I've finished writing all of the chapters, (thanks to camp NaNoWriMo) so the updates will be quicker now.


	5. The Flirting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TJ tries to convince Cyrus that he makes a good fake boyfriend. Cyrus is having feelings.

Cyrus was confused about his relationship with TJ. Their fake relationship was making it difficult for him to understand his own feelings. The two of them had been eating lunch in the cafeteria with Andi and Buffy. It had been hours since TJ had walked him to school. Once both of the boys had finished eating TJ’s arm had ended up resting on Cyrus' shoulders. Sitting like that meant that their bodies were pressed against each other. Every time Crus’ mind wandered away from the conversation he was having with the girls he had to deal with his heartbeat hammering in his chest. 

Over the course of the day, Cyrus had come to the realisation that he hadn’t wanted TJ to pull away from their almost kissing in front of the school earlier that day. Maybe he wanted something other than a platonic friendship or a fake relationship from TJ. That realisation probably would have been easier to deal with if TJ had not been wrapped around him at that moment.

He felt TJ shift, thinking that he was hurting his friend, Cyrus turned to face him and apologise. Cyrus had overlooked how close he was to the other boy, resulting in their faces, once again, being a breath apart. This time, he had the added embarrassment of his friends watching them as Cyrus navigated TJ’s closeness. The words he had been prepared to say died on his lips. 

“Hi,” TJ smiled, his arm keeping Cyrus close. 

“Hey,” Cyrus tried and failed to keep his voice steady. He cast a quick glance towards Buffy and Andi, who were talking animatedly to each other, seemingly oblivious to the two boys wrapped around each other. 

“You make a good fake boyfriend.” TJ remarked quietly, drawing Cyrus’ attention back to his smiling face. 

Cyrus thought he could feel his heart skip a beat. It was so close to what he wanted. A boyfriend, something that Cyrus had never had. TJ didn’t count, not really. “Thanks, I’m not really doing anything though.” 

TJ pulled back slightly, his hand resting on Cyrus’ shoulder rather than hanging near the boy’s chest. “Are you kidding?”

“No,” Cyrus felt TJ’s fingers gently card through the hair at the back of his head.

“You let me parade you around, put up with me charging into your house first thing in the morning, and you dealt with my sister being overprotective. You’re doing the most, Cyrus.”

“Thanks, Teej,” Cyrus let out a small laugh. “Maybe I’ll get to do it for real one day.” 

“Oh, I hadn’t really considered that side of things." TJ frowned. "I was so wrapped up in trying to avoid a relationship, I didn’t consider how this could throw a spanner in the works for your love life.”

“That’s fine, it’s not like I had any romantic prospects anyway.” Cyrus noticed how he had stopped touching his hair, he almost wanted to ask TJ to do it again.

“I’m sure that’s not true, you just haven’t found the right person yet. Anyone would be super lucky to have you, you’re amazing.” TJ looked alarmed for a second. “I mean, you’re awesome, a really good person.”

“Being good doesn’t make me attractive.” Cyrus dismissed his words. 

TJ stood up from the table abruptly and held his hand out for Cyrus to take. 

Cyrus took TJ’s hand before questioning him. “What are you doing?” 

Cyrus looked to the girls as he was dragged away from the table. Andi was smiling wide at what could only be described as TJ’s shenanigans while Buffy rolled her eyes.

“TJ, where are we going?” Cyrus was becoming more hesitant as they headed towards some of the boys that he used to see TJ hanging out with, masculine and athletic and really not Cyrus’ scene at all. 

Before they were in earshot of the athletes TJ turned back to him and whispered in his ear. “Do you trust me?” 

Cyrus managed to nod his head. He didn’t trust his voice not to betray him any more than it already had. TJ smiled at him, wide and full of joy. He moved his hand in Cyrus’ so their fingers were linked. 

“Hi guys,” TJ said confidently as he stood in front of the group of boys, hand in hand with Cyrus. “This is Cyrus, my boyfriend, isn’t he attractive?” 

Cyrus saw a few of them grow confused while some of the others nodded and smiled at them, one of them, a guy with dark hair and glasses, held his hand out for a bro hug from Cyrus, who had to let go of TJ to do so. Then the same boy turned to TJ and hugged him too. “Nice, man.” 

Cyrus was a little unsure of himself when all of them were looking at him but TJ seemed to be happy. He grabbed onto TJ’s hand for support and was pleased when the other boy interlaced their fingers again. It might have been for show, but he liked having TJ in this way. 

“You both look great.” One of the other boys commented with a grin on his face, “Happier.”

Cyrus tried not to blush.

———

Later, TJ and Cyrus were at the park, occupying the swing set they had unofficially claimed as their own. 

“Aren’t you feeling bad about lying to your friends?” Cyrus asked as he swung not nearly as high as TJ. 

“It doesn’t really feel like lying,” TJ said easily.

“What does that mean?” Cyrus felt as if his heart was in his throat. He wasn’t swinging anymore.

TJ dragged his feet across the gravel, slowing his own movements. “Well, saying we’re in a relationship doesn’t feel that far off the truth.”

“It doesn’t?” Despite Cyrus’ best efforts, he could still feel a sense of hope rising within him. 

“Yeah, because we’re best friends. We spend so much time together anyway, it’s not that much of a stretch.” 

“Right, friendship is relationship adjacent.” Cyrus heard TJ laugh, probably amused at how academic he sounded. 

Cyrus stood, walking away from the swings so that TJ wouldn’t see his face. 

“Cyrus?” TJ called after him. “Do you not want to swing anymore?”

“I actually need to head home.” Cyrus said while still walking away.

“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow?” TJ sounded hopeful

“Sure,” Cyrus tried not to think about how painful it would be to keep pretending that he was with TJ, with constant reminders of what he didn’t have. He still needed to tell his parents before they found out about his 'boyfriend' from someone else. He thought, heading back home, that he would never be good enough for TJ. Even if he did like boys, they were good friends, they couldn't go ruin that over a silly crush. By asking Cyrus to fake date him, TJ had made Cyrus realise the true nature of his feelings. He liked TJ, and it was only going to get worse.


	6. The Intervention

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After telling his friends how he feels about TJ, Cyrus is forced to confront some harsh realities.

Cyrus was lying on his bed, staring at the glow in the dark stars stuck to his ceiling. Andi was lying next to him with her head turned to him, resting on her arms.

Andi had been trying to convince Cyrus that it was all going to be okay. “So there are some…complications.”

“Consequences,” Cyrus was forlorn.

“Right, consequences.” Andi nodded before starting again. “There are some consequences, but at least you know how you feel.”

“It would be dumb to think TJ doesn’t like boys at this point.” Buffy was slowly spinning on Cyrus’ office chair, legs crossed.

Cyrus frowned, tilting his head so he could see Buffy upside down. “He did introduce me to his friends as his boyfriend.”

“Exactly,” Andi sounded enthusiastic and had a grin on her face. “There’s hope.”

Cyrus groaned. “I feel sick.”

Buffy stood. “He’s not going to ask you out for real if you act like that.” She promptly slapped Cyrus in the face with a pillow.

“Oh my God, Buffy.” Cyrus shielded himself with his arms as she swung back for another hit, laughing. Andi blocked her with a pillow of her own. 

Buffy tried to wrestle the pillow off of Andi. Cyrus, who had been cowering on the bed, managed to stand up and get behind Buffy while she was distracted. Cyrus pushed her down onto the bed in what both resembled a tackle and a hug. Andi went to hit Buffy with her pillow but managed to hit Cyrus in the face with the pillow instead. Cyrus gasped dramatically, Buffy struggled out of his grasp. Buffy promptly pushed Andi off of the bed. The squeal she made caused her friends to burst out laughing. 

For some time continuing their pillow fight, squealing with laughter and trying to all stay balanced on Cyrus’ bed. Then, there was a knock at the door. Cyrus’ mum popped her head around the side of the door. “You three sound like you’re having fun.”

“Sorry if we were too loud.” Andi apologised, trying to hide her weapon of choice, a misshapen orange pillow, behind her back. 

“Oh, that’s perfectly alright, it’s nice to hear the sounds of youth now and again. When TJ was here this morning it was as if no one was in the house. I’ve never known teenage boys to be so quiet, I thought they might have fallen asleep.” She had a joking tone and didn’t seem to notice the way the girls turned to Cyrus, their eyes wide. 

Once his mother left, Cyrus was bombarded with questions from his friends. He might have neglected to tell them TJ had come to his house that morning and had caught him dancing along to a song on his phone. 

“Why was TJ here?” Andi grabbed onto Cyrus’ arm in excitement.

“What were you doing with TJ?” Buffy tilted her head.

Cyrus shuffled backwards slightly, putting some space between him and the girls so he had room to breathe again. “He came round to apologise for putting me in this situation in the first place. Then he walked me to school. I know what my mum said sounded like something happened, but we just talked.”

Buffy raised an eyebrow, “You ‘just talked?’” 

“Well...” Cyrus remembered the way TJ had touched his hand and gotten close enough to breathe the same air. 

“What?" Andi was kneeling on the bed, excitement clear on her face. "Did something happen?” 

“We almost kissed, but Kira interrupted.”

Andi gasped, hands to her face. Unexpectedly, Buffy’s face had fallen. 

“Cyrus,” she started, slow and cautiously. “I don’t think this is a good idea.” 

In a way, Cyrus has been expecting this result. He feigned ignorance. “What do you mean?”

“I think it’s bad to fake date the boy you like, he could be playing with your emotions. It’s not really ethical to avoid telling him the truth, how you feel, he could think you’re taking advantage of him. And if he does kiss you, it’ll be tainted, don’t you want your first kiss with a boy to be for real?” 

Cyrus bit his lip, contemplating Buffy’s words. He looked to Andi to see if she was going to defend his strategy to do nothing and silently suffer. She looked just as dejected as he was feeling. 

“So I have to break up with my fake boyfriend?”

“If you want what’s best for you, then yes, I think that’s the best thing to do.” She gave him a sad half smile. 

Cyrus slumped down onto the bed with a sigh of defeat, despite how badly he wanted to have an excuse to touch TJ and have him close, he was sure that his friends would interfere to stop him either way. There was no getting around it, he had to break up with TJ.


	7. The Bench

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TJ and Cyrus talk about what happened with Kira the lunchtime that they became fake boyfriends. It does not go to plan.

It was the weekend and Cyrus was trying to work up the courage to call TJ. This meant standing in his bathroom glaring at his reflection and occasionally glancing to where his phone lay on the counter. He was starting to realise that he lacked the courage to call TJ. Cyrus returned to his room, dejected. He was interrupted from moping around the house when the doorbell rang. Perhaps it was his parents coming back from the lunch date they had been on, leaving him alone in the house. Approaching the door, Cyrus noted the lack of keys in the bowl and dismissed his initial theory. Looking through the peephole, he saw TJ standing on the front stairs, looking impatient.

When Cyrus opened the door he noticed how TJ was holding a beanie tightly in his hands. 

“Hey,” Cyrus greeted brightly, despite the apprehension he was feeling. 

“Hi, Cyrus,” TJ wasn’t his usual smiling self, Cyrus tried to make it not bother him as he looked at the earnest expression on his face. “Would you be up for going on a walk with me?”

“Sure, I was thinking of calling you anyway,” Cyrus said, pocketing his keys from the bowl by the door and heading out of the house.

“Really?” TJ asked, a small smile occupying his face for a moment. 

“Yeah, I wanted to talk to you, and you promised we’d hang out.” 

TJ took a breath. “I actually have something that I want to talk to you about too if that’s okay.” 

“Of course.” Cyrus looked up at the mountain that loomed in the distance, figuring out how to phrase his words. “You seem a bit tense, are you okay?” 

“I’m fine.” TJ dismissed him with a wave of his hand. “Should we go to the park?” 

“I’d love to.” Cyrus hoped he had not done anything wrong to make TJ act cold towards him.

When they got to the park Cyrus started making his way over to the swings. He was quickly pulled off coarse by TJ taking hold of his arm and gently steering him towards a bench, near the duck pond. It was unusual for TJ to pass up an opportunity to go on the swings, Cyrus considered what type of serious topic would merit him choosing to sit on the bench. 

“Listen, Cyrus.” TJ started, visibly nervous. “I wanted to talk to you about our… arrangement.”

“I wanted to talk about that too,” Cyrus interjected, biting his lip. “I don’t think it’s the best, for us and our friendship.”

“Yeah?” TJ looked upset. Cyrus despised the idea of hurting TJ by going back on the promise he had made. 

“Buffy said it was a bad idea.” Cyrus looked away, avoiding TJ’s concerned face.

“I feel like I owe you an explanation; of me and my choices.” He shifted in the chair so that he was facing Cyrus more head-on. “The thing with Kira didn’t play out like I said it did.”

“Oh,” Cyrus blinked. “You lied to me.”

“Technically, yeah. I’m really sorry, Cyrus.” The muscles in TJ’s face looked tense. “But what happened that lunchtime was embarrassing and I didn’t lie that much. That might not make it any better, but I want you to know that I didn’t try to hurt you.”

Cyrus nodded, letting him speak.

“She asked me out.” TJ continued. “When I said no she basically interrogated me over why I didn’t want to go out with her. She came to the conclusion that I only like guys. I didn’t tell her no, I didn’t want to lie to her. Then, she came up with this whole narrative where I was in some kind of secret relationship.”

“And she chose me as your fake boyfriend?” Cyrus considered how passive-aggressive Kira had been towards him recently.

“No, I did.” TJ ran a hand through his hair and let out a sigh of frustration. “She was talking about asking the basketball team, basically outing me, so I choose you. You’re so sweet and understanding, you’ve always helped me out. I thought I could explain it to you, and I know it doesn’t make a lot of sense to out myself instead of being outed, but I guess that I considered the act of choosing you as taking charge of my life and destiny.”

“Why didn’t you tell me this?” It was the only thing that Cyrus managed to say after a few seconds of silence.

“Because your friends were always hanging around, and when it was just us it felt too good to mess with.” TJ looked into Cyrus' eyes. “But I also chose you because I like you.”

Cyrus felt like his head was going to explode, TJ Kippen liked him, it was as if he had won the lottery. All he could manage to say with his brain failing him was “What?”

“I’m sorry, Cyrus. I didn’t want to ruin everything.” TJ was rubbing at his face and standing, getting some distance between him and Cyrus by walking backwards a few paces. “I told Amber she was wrong. I can’t believe I’ve ruined it all again.”

Cyrus stood, but TJ had turned from him and was walking away at speed. Cyrus knew his lack of athleticism would let him down if he tried to catch up. He sat down heavily, the back of his skull was aching, probably the start of a headache. He hadn’t had the chance to say anything, nothing about how he felt about TJ or the way his smile made him warm, the way his laugh would brighten up Cyrus’ day, how he loved the way TJ was always making him try new and scary things. 

Remembering he lives in the age of smartphones, Cyrus started to grab at his pockets to find his phone, hoping TJ might read texts from him, even if he ignored his calls. It was then that he remembered he had left his phone on the counter in the bathroom when TJ had rung the doorbell. Cursing his absent-mindedness, he headed home, head down, with only the sound of the traffic and occasional birdsong to distract him from his thoughts of the way TJ had looked, stern and misty-eyed, when he had turned from him as if Cyrus had been a mythological beast, a monster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, that was a sad one. Only two more to go, I'll try my hardest to post them before the last episode comes out. Only a week left of Andi Mack! ahhhh!


	8. The reveal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cyrus is heartbroken, TJ is silent, Amber is ferocious.

Cyrus’ parents had returned from lunch by the time he had gotten home from the park. They had been in the kitchen and had called out to him, asking him where he had been. Cyrus had remained silent starting to climb the stairs.

“Were you with TJ?” His mother had asked, attempting to improve the mood. Cyrus had not answered her.

Cyrus flopped down onto his bed, phone back in hand. He opened his text conversation with TJ, filled with random images from the internet that had made them laugh, messages confirming times when they had arranged to meet up almost every day, there was also text conversations where they had talked about meaningless things that had felt incredibly important at the time.

Cyrus bit his lip as he tried to work out what he could send TJ, how he could explain the situation. He didn’t want to tell him all of his feelings, that was not something to be sent over text. Eventually, he decided what he could send him.

**Hi, TJ, I’m sorry for being weird, I really want to talk to you. Can I come round?**

After hitting send, Cyrus almost flung his phone across the room. His brain was overflowing with thoughts of how awful his message was. He retrieved his phone from where he had dropped it and messaged Andi to see if she could get him Amber’s number.

Cyrus, waiting for Andi’s response, bit at the edge of his nail and remembered the way TJ’s face had fallen when he hadn’t instantly said the right thing. It made him feel awful. There was also hope, in those memories. TJ liked him back, and even though there was an obstacle holding them apart they would soon have a chance to talk it out. Maybe there would also be a chance for them to be together.

Cyrus’ phone buzzed in his hand and he saw the string of numbers Andi had sent him. Considering that Amber probably wouldn’t like anything that he had to text her, he decided to call her.

It was a tense moment in time before Amber picked up her phone.

“Yes?” She sounded unexpectedly snippy, making Cyrus wince.

“Hi, Amber, It’s Cyrus.” He held his breath for a few seconds.

“Oh, I guess you want to talk to TJ.”

“Yeah, I would.” He felt uplifted, she seemed to understand him.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Cyrus.” Amber sounded stern, like an adult who thought they knew better than him.

“But I need to explain myself, he needs to know what happened.”

“There’s nothing good you can say to him right now.” She sounded angry. “I don’t know what you did, he won’t tell me, but I know it was awful, and I’m not letting you near him.”

“No, Amber, please just put him on the phone.” The desperation he felt was starting to make an appearance in his voice.

“It’s too late, Cyrus.” Amber sounded almost apologetic.

Before Cyrus could try to get her to change her mind, the line went dead. Panic surged through him, he tried to call her again, it was only a few seconds before a harsh robotic voice told him his call was blocked. Feeling his hope slipping away, he threw his phone across the room. It landed on a pillow that had been discarded on the floor after his friends had left the day before, the ugly one Andi had used as a weapon.

There was a knock at the door, Cyrus attempted to rub the tears off of his face where they had begun to fall. His mother entered, talking about how dinner was ready and on the table. When she saw his red eyes and wet face she rushed to the bed and sat beside him, rubbing his back as he curled around where she was sitting. He was crying fully, his wounded sobbing noises loud in the quiet of the room.

“My boy, my precious,” she whispered gently, sooting him.

After he stopped crying, he heard footsteps coming up the stairs.

“Son?” His stepfather was in the doorway. Cyrus buried his head into his arms, hiding his face from view.

“What is it, Love? Did something happen?” His mother asked, still rubbing calming patterns onto his back.

“TJ,” he breathed out.

“Are you two fighting again?” She asked.

“Kind of,” Cyrus sighed heavily, sitting up in the bed. “It’s my fault though.”

“I’m sure it’s not.” His mother reassured him.

“No, it is. He told me he liked me and I didn’t say it back. He thinks I hate him.”

“TJ likes you? Do you like TJ?” His mother asked, taking his hand. Cyrus nodded his head with tears in his eyes. “Aw, Honey, I love you, you know that, right?”

He let himself be wrapped in a tight hug by his mother. His stepfather joined in to kiss the top of his head. Another tear left Cyrus' eyes, but this time it was his relief that made him tear up.

“I’m sure you two will sort it out soon. The universe wouldn’t be able to keep the two of you apart for long.” Her words made Cyrus chuckle a little through his tears. “I’ll go to him myself if I have to. I’m sure I could talk some sense into him.”

“I’d really rather you didn’t,” Cyrus said, considering what a showdown between Amber and his mother might look like.

Before leaving the room he picked up his phone and sent another message to TJ before heading to dinner with his family.

**I’m sorry I don’t use words the way most people do. You mean the world to me.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys like the second to last chapter, this is how I imagined Cyrus coming out to his parents would play out, similar to the way he originally came out to Buffy. (And the world!)


	9. The End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After almost a weekend without seeing TJ, Cyrus takes matters into his own hands, eventually.

After a weekend of radio silence from TJ, Cyrus was feeling apprehensive for the school week to come. TJ would be there, the thought of seeing him sad and dejected made Cyrus fearful. Yet, there was a feeling that could only be described as hope, dizzying, his stomach felt as if it were doing flips. It was unusual for TJ and Cyrus to go many days without seeing each other, it made the distance between them feel greater than it had done in a long time. 

“Cyrus, are you okay?” Andi asked, sincerity written on her face. 

Cyrus and his friends were spending their limited spare time before first lesson sitting on the benches in the courtyard. Andi must have noticed his disheartened expression from where she was sitting opposite him.

“I just really want to have TJ back in my life.” He had already explained what happened between him and TJ to the girls.

“It’s only been a weekend, I think you're being a little overdramatic,” Buffy said, typing something into her phone. 

“It’s not just a weekend, it’s a weekend when he thought I hated him, that I don’t want to be friends with him.” Cyrus put his head into his hands, feeling anxiety heat his skin. “It’s awful.” 

“Couldn’t you have gone over to his house?” Andi questioned, looking attentive. 

“I think you’re forgetting how scary Amber can be when you’ve wronged her. I don’t want to go anywhere near that house.” Cyrus repressed a shiver at the thought.

“Fair enough,” Buffy shrugged.

It was then that Cyrus saw a figure from the distance who, to him, was unmistakably TJ. He was slumped over, wearing a camouflage hoodie Cyrus recognised. The sight of him conjuring memories of swing sets and small smiles. For a brief moment, it was as if nothing had changed. Then, TJ looked up. Cyrus witnessed a look of fear and sadness take over TJ’s delicate features as their eyes met. TJ winced and turned away. 

Cyrus stood to go after him. He was more determined than he had been the last time TJ had fled from him. As he went to step forward the bell for first lesson went, causing swarms of students to head towards the doors of the building, blocking Cyrus’ path. 

It wasn’t until lunchtime that Cyrus had another chance to find TJ. His plan to find him at break time had been thwarted when he was taken aside by his teacher to talk about his essays at the start of break. Before Cyrus had known what was happening, his teacher had turned the conversation to the topics of high school, university and other things that had slipped his mind as of late. 

By lunchtime, Cyrus was more determined than ever. When he spotted TJ eating alone in the cafeteria he headed right for him, leaving his food and friends behind. By the time Cyrus was stood in front of TJ’s table, the other boy was looking up at him like he wanted to flee.

“Would you be up for a walk?” Cyrus said, trying to channel as much calmness into his words as possible, mind buzzing from nerves. TJ nodded in response, with none of his typical confidence. 

As TJ stood, Cyrus felt panic jolt through him, “Promise me you won’t run away again?”

There was a small hint of a smile from TJ, “That was actually what normal people would call walking.”

Cyrus let out a burst of surprised laughter as he led him out the double doors. There were not many people outside, leaving the courtyard surprisingly quiet. The sound of the wind in the trees calmed Cyrus’ nerves slightly, though they mounting again when he cast a glance at TJ. 

While glancing, or more accurately, staring at TJ, Cyrus failed to see a tree root sticking hazardously out of the cement in front of him. This caused him to pitch over, he would have fallen to the floor if TJ, with his athletic skill and quick reflexes, had not been there to catch him and haul him upwards. 

When Cyrus gathered his bearings he realised he was in TJ’s arms, a place he had wanted to be for some time. Again, the two boys were facing each other, faces close, their noses would have touched if either of them were to lean in. Cyrus felt the hairs on his arms stand on end. He looked into TJ’s eyes and felt his strong arms around him. Slowly, with a boyish hesitance, Cyrus leaned in so their lips were barely touching in a brief kiss, all gentleness and exploration, his heart hammering against his chest. 

Cyrus was pushed away by hands on his chest. TJ looked more scared than he had the day at the park when he had walked away, convinced his feelings were completely one-sided. His eyes were wide and his body was half turned away as if Cyrus was a threat he needed to defend himself from. 

“TJ?” Cyrus was confused, this was what TJ had said he wanted, to be together. 

“I don’t want you to pity me, or prank me, or whatever is happening. Please leave me alone.” TJ started to shift his weight, backing away from him. Cyrus tried to pull him back, desperately grasping at the sleeve of his hoodie.

“But TJ—” Cyrus was cut off by TJ’s commanding voice.

“Stop!” TJ’s words made Cyrus feel as if his heart was breaking, this wasn’t going how he had planned it at all. Gentler, as if he could tell how much he was hurting Cyrus, TJ apologised. “I’m sorry, for yelling and messing everything up.”

“No, don't. You didn’t mess anything up. TJ, I really like you. Don't push me away again.” There was desperation in Cyrus’ voice, his eyes stinging. “Please.”

TJ stopped struggling against him and stood there, surprise evident on his face. “You like me?”

“Yes,” Cyrus could see TJ trying to make sense of the conversation in his head. 

“I like you too.” 

“I know.” Cyrus couldn’t hold back a smile.

“You kissed me.” TJ raised his eyebrows as if he was challenging Cyrus to take it back.

“Yeah, I did.” Cyrus licked his lips.

TJ’s brow creased, his smile fading. “I pushed you away.”

Cyrus nodded, he noticed the way TJ stepped forward, towards him. As the space between them diminished TJ’s hand reached up to touch his shoulder. Cyrus bit at his lip, trying not to grin.

“I think we should try again.” TJ said with a smirk, tilting his head in a frustratingly endearing way.

“If you insist,” Cyrus said, flushed and confident.

“Yeah, I think I do.” TJ closed the distance between them, still gentle. It was sweet, the way TJ pressed his lips against him hesitantly and then with more energy. Cyrus felt as if his chest was going to burst. They broke away, smiling wide, foreheads resting on each other. 

TJ intertwined their fingers and led them back towards the cafeteria. 

“So we’re boyfriends again?” Cyrus asked, taking his eyes away from the beautiful way TJ’s hand fit in his. 

“Yeah, but for real this time.” TJ was looking at him with pure happiness.

“Okay, real boyfriend,” Cyrus said, dreamily.

“That sounds like something someone without a boyfriend would say.” TJ pointed out. “Do you want people to think I’m imaginary?”

“No, you’re just a dream come true.” 

“Gross.” TJ rolled his eyes, leading Cyrus into the cafeteria by their joined hands.

Cyrus thought that maybe it was not so bad to always said yes to TJ.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the conclusion! The last day of Andi Mack is also the last day of this fic (and very emotional for everyone).


End file.
